I cannot condone putting our Armed Forces in harm’s way or committing our military resources to a situation that is so filled with uncertainty and volatility.

Congressman John Fleming, M.D., released the following statement about the push by President Obama and Congressional leaders for U.S. military action in Syria:

“As the situation now stands, I will vote against U.S. military action in Syria. I cannot condone putting our Armed Forces in harm’s way or committing our military resources to a situation that is so filled with uncertainty and volatility. Our national security is not under threat from the Syrian civil war and President Obama has shown no clear objective that would be accomplished by launching missiles into Syria. Action by our military could tip the scales in the direction of forces supported by Al-Qaida, which is an avowed enemy of the United States. I am also concerned that President Obama is prepared to demand more from our military, even as he shows no interest in fixing the dramatic cuts to our military that he brought about through sequestration. In fact, Secretary of State John Kerry now says he cannot rule out the possibility of American troops on the ground in Syria.

“I have seen enough of this president’s foreign policy in places like Egypt and Libya to make me seriously question his long-term strategy. He launched missiles into Libya to support opposition forces, yet it appears that some of those opponents later played a role in the deaths of Americans in Benghazi. His support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has contributed to an unstable landscape that seems uninterested in good relations with the U.S.

“President Obama did not consult with Congress before he drew his redline against Syria last year. It is not our job to give cover to his unwise policy now that he is trying to draw Congress into the folly his words have created.”

Dr. John Fleming is Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He is a physician and small business owner and represents the 4th Congressional District of Louisiana.